Reality Check
by Tara the Runaway
Summary: What if the villagers weren't just programmed animals? What if they were people's avatars, just like yours? And what if the person using the animal was its human form?


**Reality Check**

**-Chapter One-**

YEAR: 2022

"Bye, dad! I'll call you as soon as I get to Tokyo!" I yelled to my dad, waving goodbye as I stepped into my black Mercedes.

"You'd better," he called out to me with a smile. I shoved my black 3DS into my pocket, placing my foot on the pedal and beginning my long drive to the airport.

Ever since I was a child, I had dreamed of visiting Japan. After all these years, my parents had finally given me the chance of a lifetime by buying me a one-way ticket to Tokyo. They assured me that it was no problem, and it was merely a reward for always working so hard. My dreams were finally coming true.

That's what was on my mind when I skipped over to the terminal while my converse quietly clanked against the tile floor. I was so excited! For nine years, I had looked forward to this day.

"Flight 127 to Tokyo is now boarding," a lady's calm voice said over the intercom. I grabbed my suitcase and stuffed my iPhone into my jacket pocket, pulling my earbuds out of my ears.

I ran up to the line and handed the ticket-lady my ticket for her to scan. Once she saw my face, she smiled at me kindly.

"Have a great trip," she murmured politely.

I will, I told myself with a large grin growing across my face. Then I leaped into the jet bridge, tightly clutching my carry-on bag – which was full of nothing but electronics – in my hand.

After groaning multiple times due to the slowly-paced passengers, I finally managed to spot my seat. I sat down with an exhausted sigh and yanked my DS back out of my pocket, starting up my Animal Crossing game. It showed my favorite villager, Marshal, walking around when the screen reappeared. I smiled and continued to the screen with Isabelle to set the time.

"Okay, all set… Oh, wait, Mayor Mairin? Today's your birthday, isn't it? Happy birthday!" Isabelle exclaimed from the screen. I smiled at how she was programmed to say this. I had a feeling I knew who would be at my party this year - definitely Marshal, maybe Puddles, and probably Molly.

Sure enough, when I opened the door, Marshal was standing outside.

"Hey, Mairin, I need you to come with me. I can't tell you why right now, but just follow me, okay?" he said before the screen went black. Then it showed me following him into his house. When I got inside, Molly, Lily, and Marshal yelled, "Happy Birthday!"

I moved my character towards Marshal and pressed the **A** button.

"This is for you, from all of us," Marshal told me with an adorable smile on his face. Reaching into his nonexistent pocket, he pulled out a piece of furniture and handed it to me, and I immediately checked my pockets. I grinned from ear to ear, seeing that my digital friends had given me a birthday cake.

After talking to Molly, Lily, and Marshal a few more times, I decided to exit Marshal's house. Right when I left, a lady's voice emitted from the intercom again.

"Passengers, please turn off all electronic devices for your safety. Thank you!" she said before going off.

I saved and quit, put my 3ds XL in my bag, and then tried to get some rest.

I am a heavy sleeper, so I woke up what I think was somewhere around nine hours later. I yawned and pulled my XL out of my bag again, and turned on Animal Crossing once again. Even though I hated to admit it -for an unknown reason - I was a time traveler. My sister always accused me of cheating for doing this, but it's not like she can stop me. I _am_ the older sister, after all.

The lady came on the intercom for the last time. "Passengers, we will soon be arriving in Tokyo. Please fasten your seatbelts for our descent," she announced sweetly.

I let a sigh of relief escape through my lips. Although I enjoyed flights, I was eager to finally take my first steps on the streets in Japan.

After gathering my things together once again, I returned to my game. I turned it on – typical me changed the date again - and then waited for it to load. When it did, I saw Marshal walking around near his house, which was right behind mine. I went up to talk to him.

The second I walked up to him, he did the exclaim-thing, so I kind of had to talk to him now. When I did, he asked me for a shirt I had.

"Whoa, Mairin! You have a pleather vest? I've always wanted one of those! Will you sell it to me?"

I shook my head. _Why does it seem like these animals always want something from me?_ I thought to myself. Sighing for the hundredth time, I tapped on the "**How Much**" option.

"Um, how does 1,137 bells sound?" Marshal asked me with an adorable look on his face that I just couldn't say no to. Even if it wasn't a lot, I gave in and sold it to him anyway.

"Thanks, Mairin! You're the best!" He thanked me with a smile. Then I heard the familiar "ping" sound, signaling that I had gained friendship with the Marshal - for the billionth time.

I checked to see if anything was in the Plaza, and sure enough, Katrina was in town. I walked into her tent, paid the 500 bells, and waited. The weird "Star-Matrix" thing appeared on my screen, and then she began "reading the signs", telling me what to do.

"A pink and blue alpaca… still on their honeymoon, I see…"

I giggled lightly. _This game can be so goofy sometimes..._

"From this place, I can see good fortune upon love… Denim jacket…" she told me. I giggled. That was Marshal's default outfit, and that was what I was wearing in reality.

The screen faded, and Katrina and I were suddenly in her dimly-lit tent once again. "Since you are already wearing a lucky item, you should be fine for today…" she mumbled. "And remember that bad times… are just times that are bad."

Now I was puzzled. I was wearing a denim jacket in reality, but not in the game.

Well, whatever. Who am I to complain about being lucky?

Glancing up for only a moment, I suddenly realized that everyone was already getting off of the plane. I quickly grabbed my carry-on bag and stuffed my XL inside, dashing off the plane.

There was a huge crowd of people in the airport, and it was nearly impossible just to get outside. When I did get outside, though, I bumped into someone and fell over.

My head jolted up, and I glared at the person angrily. "Hey! Do you mind watching where you're going from now on, you-?"

I stopped talking. I couldn't talk at all, because I was in shock. In front of me was someone I had seen before. He had shaggy blonde hair with bangs, pale skin, and - this really freaked me out – none other than a pleather vest.

The teen in front of me looked surprised, as well. His eyes were wide and his jaw had dropped open. After a minute, he extended his hand to me.

"Here, I'm sorry," he murmured apologetically.

"It's fine," I replied, taking his hand. He gently lifted me from off the ground and gave me a warm, sincere smile.

"What's your name?" we both said in unison. His smile widened.

"Me first," he said. "My name's Marshal. What's yours?" he questioned me again.

_This can't be really happening... can it?_ I thought. I was in shock, but I found it in me to say something. "My name is Mairin," I told him, still completely confused. Now he was even more confused, too.

"Well, this is awfully strange," Marshal mused, scratching his head awkwardly. "I'd kind of like to get to know you better, though. If you're who I think you are, then I don't want to let you out of my sight."

My eyes widened. _This really is the same person as the white squirrel in my game, isn't it..._

"To be completely honest, I feel exactly the same," I admitted. "It never occurred to me that you were... well, a real person, you know?"

Marshal chuckled lightly, and I couldn't help but think that his laugh was adorable. I found myself blushing, but I was dragged out of my thoughts by the sound of his smooth voice.

"Hey, how about I take you out to lunch? Money's on me," he offered. "That way, we can both get to know each other better."

A grin crawled across my face. I nodded and graciously took his hand, but of course, clumsy me stumbled and fell into him. I lightly blushed, and he scratched the back of his neck nervously.

"Come on, let's go," he chimed with a smile. He bolted forward, catching me off guard and dragging me through the large swarms of people navigating their way through the city of my dreams.

_Is this... reality?_


End file.
